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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mate — to breed
  3. game — a match
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bat — the animal
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bore — to drill
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. charge — electricity
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mate — a partner
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — a measure
  20. charge — in control
  21. bore — to tire
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — a friend
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com